Archive for April, 2011

Are You An Animal Lover? Then Certified Cruelty Free Skin Care Products Are Important To You

Do you have furry friends?  Loved ones that walk on four legs instead of two?  Maybe your one of us that are just “drawn” to those that walk within the animal world.  The bottom line is, if you love animals then you need to know how important certified cruelty free skin care products are.

Many personal care product companies still test on animals, or, use products in their own formulations that are tested on animals.  I don’t enjoy sharing those graphic pictures of what happens during these “tests”, but, suffice it to say, its horrific.  Horrific enough that it should never even be done.

As an experienced  and Licensed Aesthetician and MAJOR animal lover, animal testing  and cruelty was always, and continues to be, a huge issue for me.  In fact, when I went to work developing the formulations for Sevani, I made sure that every single skin care product we formulated was certified cruelty free.

For me, this is a way to offer an alternative to people that want to support the rights of the four legged creatures of this world yet still use skin care products that are effective.  I want to make it easy for others to spend their money where their mouth is so to speak and support companies, like Sevani, that refuse to test on animals or use products that do.

We don’t just create cruelty skin care products though; we do animal rescue as well, and support other companies like us too!

In addition, we help our furry friends by donating a portion of the proceeds from the sales of Sevani to various animal welfare organizations both local and national.   We’re also a Leaping Bunny “Certified Cruelty Free Company”.

So, look for the leaping bunny logo and only buy Certified Cruelty Free skin care products.  Say no to animal testing, and don’t support these companies with your hard earned dollars.  Then, they’ll be forced to listen and Stop Testing on Animals.

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The Basics Of The Three Ayurvedic Skin Types

sevani-lotus-nautral-skin-careAfter years of meticulous research, Ayurvedic medicine was one of the inspirations behind my “special blend” of ingredients selected for the Sevani line of certified organic and cruelty free skin care products, as they offer a completely natural combination and yet are still just as effective as their toxic counterparts; usually more so.

According to Ayurvedic principals, there are three constitutional doshas (or types) -  Vatta, Pitta and Kapha which are present in varying degrees within each person.  Keeping these doshas in balance is the key to the health and wellness of all the systems of the body, including the skin.  The strategies for keeping the doshas in balance differ based on which is the predominant one for the individual.

While I was conceiving the formulations for Sevani, I studied the characteristics of the different types of doshas, the resulting skin types of those individuals with each predominant dosha, as well as the prescribed treatments for balancing and addressing them.  I thought it would be fun to share  some of what I learned with all of you awesome readers.  So, read on and discover which of the 3 Ayurvedic skin types you are!

Vatta (Air and Ether)

Those with a primarily Vatta dosha have skin that can be described as fine or delicate yet also dry and flaky.  The skin is often thin and although these individuals are more susceptible to signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines, they’re also blessed with less acne and often that fine porcelain look coveted by many.  Those with a Vatta skin type are usually prone to exczema and other skin irritations common to sensitive skin and are drawn to warmth and light.  Hydration is essential for this skin type as is consistent application of creams that soothe and protect.

Pitta (Fire and Water)

Those with a dominant Pitta dosha are quite opposite of those with Vatta.  Pitta craves coolness and is actually aggravated by heat.  As a result, those with Pitta skin are easily sunburned and have problems with inflammation, irritation, redness, etc.  Pitta skin is fair, often with freckles and/or moles,  and is known to emit a warm glow.   Pitta skin requires great care and is prone to conditions such as rosacea, pigmentation issues, rashes, and is quite sensitive overall.  Support the Pitta skin type with skin care products that help reduce inflammation, sooth,  and help prevent redness and rosacea.

Kapha (Earth and Water)

Kapha skin is characterized by oiliness, large pores, and is often cool to the touch.  As a result, those with Kapha skin are prone to severe acne and blackheads, but, also have the benefit of thicker skin which helps delay signs of aging along with skin that feels very soft to the touch.  These individuals often experience water retention too and, must cleanse very regularly to prevent breakouts as well as infections.

Overall, you can be sure that regardless of your Ayurvedic skin type, skin care products with harsh chemicals and abrasives should not be used, ever, as they will only further imbalance the body.  Instead natural remedies, like the skin care products made by Sevani, are recommended to bring the skin and the entire body into balance thereby treating the issues experienced by all the ayurvedic skin types.  Our products are formulated with “balance” and “nature” in consideration as this is what offers the ultimate health and  harmony for everyone; plants, animals, and the earth; as well as us human types!

Questions; you can always email me and I’ll be happy to try and help.  Better yet, leave a comment and lets get a discussion going so even more people can be helped naturally with the power of Ayurveda.

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No Phenoxyethanol In Our Natural Skin Care Products – But, It’s In Other “Natural” Lines??

natural-skin-care-products-dropper-and-bottleWhile there are many skin care products that claim to be “natural” or “synthetic free” not many really are all that pure when you actually read the labels and decode the long list of often hard to pronounce ingredients used.

For example, there are quite a few companies that tout their skin care products as being natural, yet, still use ingredients, like Phenoxyethanol that aren’t natural in any way.

Phenoxyethanol is actually considered suspect enough to have been banned in Europe.  Even the US FDA (The United States Food And Drug Administration), issued this statement about it:

“Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that is primarily used in cosmetics and medications. It also can depress the central nervous system and may cause vomiting and diarrhea”.

Remember, the skin is our largest organ, so we chose NOT to have Phenoxyethanol in Sevani natural skin care products as the risks it presents to the skin and the body as a whole are not worth it in our opinion.

Now, the FDA has also set forth what it considers to be “safe” limits for the use of this product, and, many people, both consumers and skin care product manufacturers alike, feel that Phenoxyethanol is an awesome preservative and can be used with great effect.  However, in my opinion, any skin care product that uses Phenoxyethanol shouldn’t be allowed to label itself as natural because its misleading to consumers, and often, getting them to pay more for a substandard product that isn’t even advertising with honesty.

Luckily, you’ll never find Phenoxyethanol, or any other synthetic ingredients in Sevani’s line of natural skin care products.  Instead, we use amino acid based preservatives that not only maintain the integrity of our products over time, but also provides improved collagen synthesis and other benefits for the skin as well!

There’s really no reason to mess around with skin care products made with toxic ingredients like Phenoxyethanol.  Protect yourself and your skin by using truly natural and organic skin care products made by companies you can trust, like Sevani.

We believe in truth in labeling at Sevani, and we’ll never use chemicals like Phenoxyethanol in our skin care products.  This way, you can naturally care for your skin with the confidence of Sevani’s honestly natural skin care products!

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Transform Your Complexion With Sevani’s Rapid Renewal Moisturizer with Willow bark!

If you’re looking for a way to transform your complexion, Sevani’s Rapid Renewal AHA-BHA Face Cream can help!  Formulated of natural ingredients this fabulous face cream is also vegan, and cruelty free; oh, and did we mention it’s amazingly effective too!

Sevani’s Rapid Renewal Face Cream offers a way to resurface and renew all skin types.  It will increase the glow of your skin while also evening out pigmentation, and, it offers exceptional anti aging properties as well.

Ingredients like Licorice Root and Willow Bark prevent and reduce age spots, acne, scarring, and inflammation, while Algae supports cellular renewal.  At the same time, Aloe offers vitamins and amino acids to help feed your skin and keep it healthy.   Natural Hyaluronic Acid (from mushrooms) keeps skin nice and moist to help decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. And, in addition to all of that, we utilize liquified crystal to offer luminosity along with even more cellular protection.

While each of these ingredients, as well as all of the others, have their own individual properties, it is the special combination of selected ingredients that makes Sevani’s Rapid Renewal Cream soooo powerful.  All of these special choice ingredients work together to help your skin look younger, more radiant, healthier, and simply fabulous!

Check out this wonderful daily use face cream, along with all the other natural and organic skin care products from Sevani today and transform your complexion naturally.

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Earth Day 2011 Is Friday April 22nd, Celebrate By Giving Back To Nature

earth-day-globeEarth Day 2011 is this Friday, April 22nd.  Each Earth Day I try to encourage friends and family to do something that gives back to nature.  Whether its planting a tree, picking up litter, helping with trail maintenance at your local land preserve, or even making a donation to the eco conscious cause of your choice, Earth Day is a 24 hr period set aside to honor and give back to our Great Mother.

On Friday my hubby and I will be planting a tree in our garden to remind us all year long to think about how our decisions affect not only us humans but, the earth as a whole.

We make Earth Day last all year long at Sevani too by being sure to keep our skin care products earth, human and animal friendly, as well as by making donations to non-profit organizations, both local and national, that work hard to protect our precious planet.

Whatever you do, do something this Earth Day to plant a seed that will grow and protect this amazing place we call home all year long.

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